The destruction of the tropical rain forests has deprived the hornbill of its natural breeding grounds. The stocks of these predominantly Asian birds, with a striking helmet or horn-shaped upper beak, had dropped considerably by the mid-1990s. Working with the Hornbill Foundation, Swarovski Optik is developing artificial nesting aids for these cave breeders. The aim is to stabilise over the medium terms the wild stocks of these magnificent horned birds within Thailand and also to play a part in preserving the tropical rain forests.